1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a fan assembly for transferring cold air produced in a heat exchange chamber to a storage space in a refrigerator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 shows main components of a general refrigerator. As shown in this figure, a refrigerating chamber 52, a vegetable box 53 and a freezing chamber 54 are defined sequentially from above in a main body 51 of the refrigerator. On a rear wall of the main body 51 of the refrigerator is formed a projection wall 55 protruding forwardly at a middle height of the vegetable box 53. A heat exchange chamber 56 in which cold air is produced is formed below the projection wall 55, while a cold air passage through which the cold air is supplied into the refrigerating chamber 52 is formed above the projection wall 55. To allow the cold air passage 57 and the heat exchange chamber 56 to communicate with each other, a communication hole 55a is formed vertically through the projection wall 55.
An evaporator 58 for producing cold air and a fan assembly 59 for transferring the produced cold air to the vegetable box 53 or the refrigerating chamber 52 are installed within the heat exchange chamber 56. For the installation and maintenance of parts in the heat exchange chamber 56, the components required in partitioning the vegetable box 53 and the freezing chamber 54 is divided into two parts, i.e. a first partition wall (not shown) and a second partition wall 60. In a state where the second partition wall 60 is removed, the installation or maintenance works for the evaporator 58 or the fan assembly 59 are made. The second partition wall 60 is connected to the projection wall 55.
Above the projection wall 55 is provided a damper assembly 61 which defines one side of the cold air passage 57 and includes a damper 61a for regulating cold air flow through the cold air passage 57. A duct-forming member 62 is provided above the damper assembly 61 to define the cold air passage 57 on a side of the refrigerating chamber 52.
In the meantime, FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the fan assembly 59. The fan assembly 59 is configured in such a manner that a fan motor 59m is installed on a fan guide 59g and a blow fan 59f is provided at an output shaft of the fan motor 59m. The fan guide 59g is formed with fastening holes 59h at opposite ends thereof such that it can be fastened to an inner side of the main body 50 of the refrigerator.
However, the related art fan assembly has the following problems.
The installation or maintenance works for the related art fan assembly 59 are very troublesome, because there is no additional configuration for temporarily fixing the fan assembly 59. That is, an operator should couple fasteners into the fastening holes 59h with a tool held by one hand while securing the fan assembly at the inner wall of the refrigerating chamber 54 of the refrigerator body 51 with another hand. In particular, since the fastening holes 59h are provided at the opposite ends of the fan guide 59g of the fan assembly 59, an available space cannot be obtained between the adjacent parts. Thus, coupling or decoupling of the fan assembly through the fasteners becomes more difficult.
Further, one side of the fan assembly 59 where the fastening holes 59h are located is fixed to the main body 51 of the refrigerator, whereas the other side thereof is not supported as if it behaves as a free end of a cantilever. Therefore, the other side of the fan assembly 59 where the fastening holes 59h are not located may be lowered due to its own weight. Accordingly, there is a problem in that air streams are not correctly produced by the fan assembly 59 and thus air leakage can occur.
Furthermore, according to the prior art, one end of a lead wire (not shown) for applying electric power to the fan assembly 59 is connected to the fan assembly 59, and the other end thereof is connected to a control unit while passing through an insulating layer of the main body 51 of the refrigerator. However, since additional components for fixing or hanging the lead wire is not provided in the heat exchange chamber 56, a portion of the lead wire sags under its own weight and accordingly may come into contact with the evaporator 58.
In such a case, since cooling fins of the evaporator 58 generally takes the shape of a plate made of a metallic material, edges of the fins are relatively sharp. Therefore, if the lead wire comes into contact with the cooling fins of the evaporator 58, an electric leakage may occur due to the damage of insulating coating of the lead wire. Further, since a temperature of the lead wire is lowered by the evaporator 58, there is another problem in that a withstanding voltage of the lead wire may be reduced.